IN THIS ISSUE:
Summertime Flour Storage
Containers for Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Summertime Menus
Where In The World is (was)
Carol?
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Summertime Flour Storage
With summer in full swing,
it's time to take stock of how we store our flours. Heat and humidity are
natural enemies of flour and can cause spoilage and rancidity. In fact,
some people in warmer climates store all of their flours in the
refrigerator or freezer year-round. That's OK, but be sure to bring the
flour to room temperature before baking.
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Some flours—such as brown
rice, amaranth, potato flour, millet, and soy—should be purchased in
smaller quantities and refrigerated (or frozen). Try to use them up as
quickly as possible since they have a tendency to turn rancid due their
oil content or other characteristics.
Don't put containers of flour in
places where the sun can shine on them or high heat can affect them. In
one corner of my kitchen, the sun shines on my countertops in April and October.
If I accidentally leave my canisters of flour in this location while I'm baking,
the sun causes the flour to heat up and condensation forms on the inside of the
canister. This further causes lumping and deterioration of the flour quality—not
a good thing. When flour sits in the canister for a long time, it's a good
idea to whisk it to break up the lumps and make sure it hasn't settled and
compacted.
Containers for Gluten-Free
Ingredients
Until recently, I stored all of
my baking ingredients such as flours, sugar, and xanthan gum in large,
wide-mouth jars with either screw-on lids or the old-fashioned latch type found
on some canning jars. This worked really well because I could always tell
with a quick glance how much of any particular ingredient I had on hand. The
wide mouths were also great for measuring. I could get a scoop into the
container and then level it off right over the mouth and not waste any flour
(most of the time). And, the containers were air-tight to keep out bugs and
humidity.
However, a few months ago I was
browsing through the Container Store (http://www.containerstore.com) which has chains
all over the country and found the neatest modular canisters made of styrene.
They come in various sizes, are air-tight, and are see-through for easy
identification of contents. Ranging in price from $3.99 to $9.99, they should
suit any budget and last a very long time. I think
their greatest feature is the extremely large opening so I can measure right
over the top and not waste any flour at all. And, I also like the fact that they
stack, one on top of the other, so they use my pantry space quite efficiently.
I use the biggest one for storing
my Sorghum Flour Blend (used in my book Gluten-Free 101) since I mix up
several cups of this blend at one time. I use the next larger size for storing
the flours and other ingredients that I use the most such as potato starch and
tapioca and sugar. The smaller sizes work great for ingredients that we store in
smaller quantities such as xanthan gum.
Summertime Menus
Wondering what to fix for that
family picnic? Or the tail-gate party? Go to my book, Gluten-Free
Celebrations, and you'll find lots of menu ideas for all kinds of summertime
activities. Plus, there are some cute ideas for kid's cookies and cakes.
Where in the World is (was)
Carol?
Believe it or not, I'm not
traveling on business in July, nor am I teaching any classes. But I am mentioned
in some print media. One is an article called "Gut Reactions" in the
July/August, 2004 issue of Vegetarian Times. I'm in good company—Dr. Michelle
Pietzak at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles is also featured.
In addition, the July/August 2004
issue of Body and Soul magazine (often found at health food stores)
mentions my forthcoming book, Wheat-Free Recipes & Menus (newly revised
inside, completely new cover, and now published by Avery/Penguin Group).
Finally, as I mentioned in the
newsletter last month, I recently taped a 90 second TV segment that will be
broadcast sometime this summer---perhaps on a station in your home town if it
subscribes to Ivanhoe Broadcast News. I haven't received notification that the
segment is ready yet, so you haven't missed it. To find
out if your station subscribes, go to http://www.ivanhoe.com/ and click on Ivanhoe
partners to see if a TV station in your town is a member. If it is, there's a
chance you'll see the segment. I have no idea when or how often it might be shown, so let
me know if you see it. In the segment, I talk about cooking gluten-free and
demonstrate how to make a pizza. A special thanks to Bob's Red Mill for allowing
us to film the segment in their brand new, state-of-the art kitchen at the new Bob's
Red Mill facility in Milwaukie, OR
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